IT'S all about the legs. Shaved legs. If you want to be taken seriously as a bike rider, start with a Wilkinson Sword.

Add a full lycra outfit and specialised sunglasses, shoes, helmet and even cycling socks. Oh, and you might need a bike. Preferably expensive.

Mock if you will, but ignore the look and you risk the ultimate cycling insult: you will be referred to as a "Hubbard". Worse still, nobody will want to ride with you. You will be deemed uncool and, more important, unsafe.

There is no other recreational sport that demands such strict adherence to convention. And in no other nation is this code adhered to as strongly as Australia.

IT'S all about the ZINC.Zinc all over your face. If you want to be taken seriously as a cricketer, start with Zinc Sunscreen.

Add a full white outfit and specialised sunglasses, shoes, helmet and even a DP. Oh, and you might need a bat. Preferably expensive.

Mock if you will, but ignore the look and you risk the ultimate cricketing insult: you will be referred to as a "Pom". Worse still, nobody will want to play with you. You will be deemed uncool and, more important, called butterfingers.

There is no other recreational sport that demands such strict adherence to convention. And in no other nation is this code adhered to as strongly as Australia.

Urban Dictionary wrote:An uncool, slow, unfashionable, annoying, awkward or stupid cyclist. Often identified by wearing a helmet that is more than 15 years old, poor judgement on the road or by the ridiculous cargo they carry on their bike. In a racing context hubbards are identified by having unshaved legs, riding a Giant or by an inability go round a corner with the peleton without causing a crash. Recumbent cyclists are automatically hubbards

IT'S all about the legs. Shaved legs. If you want to be taken seriously as a bike rider, start with a Wilkinson Sword.

Add a full lycra outfit and specialised sunglasses, shoes, helmet and even cycling socks. Oh, and you might need a bike. Preferably expensive.

Mock if you will, but ignore the look and you risk the ultimate cycling insult: you will be referred to as a "Hubbard". Worse still, nobody will want to ride with you. You will be deemed uncool and, more important, unsafe.

There is no other recreational sport that demands such strict adherence to convention. And in no other nation is this code adhered to as strongly as Australia.

The hardcopy in the paper has more material and the photo has graphics but you get the drift from the online article I would suggest.

Greatest load of cobblers I've ever read. Been cycling for over 35 years - touring, Audax, MTB and general road recreational stuff. Virtually none of my cycling mates shave their legs, neither do I. Some of the ladies might, but I don't dare ask such questions

Never been called a 'hubbard', and I really can't see what the 'unsafe' bit is all about

Riding bikes in traffic - what seems dangerous is usually safe; what seems safe is often more dangerous.

Oxford wrote:OMGosh, you call yourself a cyclist and you do not know what a hubbard is. You should be so ashamed of yourself.

Damn hubbards, ruining this sport.

Thanks for clearing that up - now I can be a cyclist that I know what a hubbard is.

Yes I know I am a hubbard and this hubbard is now heading home on his 21 y.o. entry level Repco proudly wearing hairy legs with a full riding kit purchased by his wife and kids from aldi for his last birthday. WOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOO see if you can catch me - have a good weekend all.

I've heard it a few times. I understood it to be slang for the fashionable but inept rider. Y'know, people who do exactly what the article recommends doing to avoid being called a hubbard. Full disclosure: I have unshaved legs and a beard.

PS I thought it was a reference to L Ron, not Old Mother. I you get people on a bad day they might think it had to do with Old Dan, but that's just them being rude.

Hubbards, clubbers etc have been around for decades as a derisive term for try hards or originally those that didn't or wouldn't follow the unwritten rules about bike setup, how well they rode or what they wore. Even not shaving. Pete you and the touring fraternity wouldn't rate as anything worth mentioning in the argot of the keepers of the cycling flame. You are invisible to the in crowd surrounding the racing fraternity. You matter not a jot to them and no doubt they matter not a jot to you. So everyone's happy. But we all know cycling is a broad church with some breakaway cults. Exclusivity keeps some people smug and warm, others rely on shared comradeship whatever they ride.

il padrone wrote:Coming back to my comment.... whatever is 'unsafe' about cycling with unshaven legs ???

You're not safe from being called a hubbard, it seems. Also, I think your leg hair might get tangled with that of another rider and cause a crash. Roadies call this a "Kafka". Worse still is a leg hair/beard entanglement, known as a "Dostoyevsky". This is thankfully rare. And, like the rest of this post, a figment of my imagination.

high_tea wrote:I think your leg hair might get tangled with that of another rider and cause a crash. Roadies call this a "Kafka". Worse still is a leg hair/beard entanglement, known as a "Dostoyevsky". This is thankfully rare.

Boomer!

Riding bikes in traffic - what seems dangerous is usually safe; what seems safe is often more dangerous.